The 7th session of the Working Group on the Improvement
of the ARIPO Protocols relating to Industrial Property was
held at the ARIPO headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe on 3 and 4 May
2018. The Working Group is comprised of IP practitioners and
Registry officials from various ARIPO member and observer states.
The Working Group discussed proposals to amend the Harare Protocol
which regulates the filing and prosecution of patents, utility
models and industrial designs in ARIPO and addressed some of the
challenges in the operation of the Banjul Protocol which regulates
Trade Mark matters in ARIPO. Adams & Adams was represented at
this Working Group Session by Wynand Fourie.
The Harare Protocol has been amended several times over the past
few years; however, amongst others, the Working Group proposed
amendments to the regulations relating to ARIPO patent, utility
model and industrial design applications which have not yet been
published. Such applications shall not be made